Dec 06, 2006 2:18 AM EST

It is appearing increasingly unlikely that Manny Ramirez will be traded this off-season.

"Given what they asked for," said an official from one franchise that spoke with Boston about Ramirez, "my theory is that the Red Sox were almost staging the whole thing, just so they can go back to Manny and say, 'See, we tried. We just can't trade you.' "

Ramirez has apparently wanted out of Boston for quite some time now.

Via ESPN